Competition for spots has made players “pull their finger out” at Cronulla training – and maybe help the re-signed Jack Bird put his hand up for NSW Origin duty.
Sharks coach Shane Flanagan has provided no guarantees for NRL Rookie of the Year Bird, saying pre-season form will determine his 2016 backline.
But Flanagan did tip the 20-year-old Bird to crack the Blues Origin team in 2016 if he answered the challenge.
Flanagan said the early signs were good, backing Bird to “go to the next level” after knocking back a lucrative offer from St George Illawarra and re-signing until 2017 this week.
“It gives him security. He didn’t train that well before Christmas because he had a lot on his mind,” he told Sharks TV.
“But he’s done that (re-signed) and …(since) he has been outstanding.
“I can see Birdy go to the next level and playing Origin if he keeps improving.”
Bird was a revelation at pivot on NRL debut in 2015, helping the Sharks make the semi-finals.
He also earned Country Origin honours.
However, Bird appears set to battle Valentine Holmes for the fullback spot or slot into centre in 2016 after the off-season arrival of halves James Maloney and Chad Townsend.
“Our two halves are going great and there’s a bit of competition in the outside backs – we’ve got to get the fullback bit sorted out,” Flanagan said.
“That’s the way I want it and that’s the way it should be – no one is guaranteed anything.
“It will be great for the club if that competition forces some blokes to pull their finger out and challenge themselves to improve.”
Bird sounded resigned to losing his five-eighth spot to their off-season signings.
“I do have a preference somewhere in the backline – either one (fullback), six (pivot) or three (centre),” he said.
“I am happy to play in the centres or wherever Shane wants to put me – I am sure I will get the job done.”
Flanagan said Bird looked set to feature in a strong Sharks squad that would be out for revenge at next month’s Auckland Nines.
South Sydney scored an extra-time try to defeat Cronulla in the 2015 Nines final.
Flanagan said he would blood new signing and pre-season standout Jordan Drew in a strong squad also boasting Ben Barba at the February 6-7 Nines.
“Benny Barba couldn’t play it last year (due to injury) and the Nines are made for Benny,” Flanagan said.
“We will go there looking to win the competition.”
Flanagan said their February 20 trial against Wests Tigers at Campbelltown was likely to preview the 17 to play defending champions North Queensland in their NRL season opener.
Alex Green
Roar Guru
Crickey Flanno, let the kid ease into his second season! Rarely do these kind of Origin comments do any player any good, it just unnecessarily heaps extra pressure that they often find it hard to live up to.
Russ
Guest
Dear The Barry and Greg I don't think I suggested anywhere that SOO being the Pinnacle was a manufactured outcome? The problem seems to be that if you suggest any alternative including playing for your country should be an aspiration at the top of any career people assume you don't like SOO or something equally ludicrous. But what you read was me admitting defeat. I now believe that International RL may be where we lose ground to the competition. You can't fight county hall as they say. And if as Greg says " When you have the best domestic competition in the world, the pinnacle is the best of the best playing against each other. The pinnacle of basketball is the NBA All Star game, not the Olympics." then there is no point in engaging in international competition of any kind and investing inward and upward in your pinnacle seems the logical aim and sensible outcome for this to progress along the lines People clearly prefer. :-( :-(
The Barry
Roar Guru
Russ - I admire you're ongoing campaign for international footy...but I think you're coming at this from the wrong angle. Not many people have a set against international footy. The reason that people (like me) prefer origin is that for the past 35 years it's been of a much, much higher standard than international league. That doesn't mean I'm anti-international. At all. International league is improving all the time...but we need to see competitive games for an extended period of time for it to surpass origin. There's still a feeling out there (rightly or wrongly) that the poms and kiwis are competitive when the aussies don't field a full strength side but that the aussies blow them away when they do. So it's difficult for punters (like me) to get as excited for a test as we do for origin. But the fact that origin is more popular or seen as the pinnacle wasn't a manufactured outcome as you seem to suggest. It happened organically as the birth and rise of origin and all its associated drama coincided with possibly the most mis-matched extended era in the international game.
Greg
Guest
When you have the best domestic competition in the world, the pinnacle is the best of the best playing against each other. The pinnacle of basketball is the NBA All Star game, not the Olympics.
Russ
Guest
Well yes, it's the roar.com.AU ......... not theroar.com.oss and thanks for proving the point once again! Always good to debate stuff even when the war was lost a long time ago.:-( Surely, monies spent a winning a World Cup might be better put into country development so they provide more SOO players. As many people on here are wont to say Aussie Rules does the business without an international dimension "soo" maybe that's a better route for the future?
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Well yes, it's theroar.com.AU and there are many more players in contention for Origin than the national team (where most positions are settled unless there's an injury -- the only thing to report about the Kangaroos is that there's nothing to report) and many more spots being decided, there are more articles still on the club level of the game.
Russ
Guest
I think Alex if you look at the number of articles and posts that refer to SOO as opposed to the Roos you will see that the empharsis is on the wrong syllarbell. Although this maybe the goal or intention it don't come out that way in the wash! And if you don't subscribe to the view that Internationals are the pinnacle then why have the Green and Gold at all? And certainly don't waste money staging a World Cup you don't think is important and can only detract from the real thing! As the old song goes "Is you is, or is you ain't.........?"
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Assuming one subscribes to the view that the international game should be the pinnacle, shouldn't we want Australian players to be going through state level representative teams before donning the green and gold?
Russ
Guest
It is sad that the story is once again about SOO and not this player's chances of donning the Green and Gold. And from another forum: "Why would you want to change the pinnacle of our game? State of Origin should be embraced for what it is and not be tampered with. Australia has worked hard to get it to where it is and don't need people from half way across the world to mess with it. It is after all,the pinnacle of rugby league!" The laughter you hear is from all the HQ's of our competitors!
Shane Mitchell
Roar Rookie
fox mate
Richard Maybury
Guest
The nines is the best chance of silverware for the sharks. They are one of the few teams that go all out and field their best nines squad. There is probably only the Warriors that take it as seriously and that is more because it is played on home soil. Who owns the tv rights to the nines because it would be awesome to watch ?